The Shrinking
by PaulT
Summary: Catherine had kept the bottle for as long as she could remember. But it was soon to get its revenge!


Goosebumps.The shrinkingChapter 1

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'Tidy your room' came a voice from down stairs. Catherine was always one to follow her mum's orders. Her mum was a nice woman, but at times could be strict about the littlest of things. Catherine was to become thirteen tomorrow. She couldn't wait. 

She was told to tidy her room as she was having a sleep over with her two best friends, Carly and Vanessa (to celebrate her birthday). She had, upon a shelf in her room, a bottle, which she never dared move. She had found it when she was much younger and kept it for three reasons. The first reason was that it was of the most magnificent colour of green she had ever seen. This was probably what attracted it to her when she was three years old (and had kept it ever since). She had found it in a playing field not too far from her house. The second reason to keep it was that inside the bottle was a folded up piece of paper, which Catherine had never managed to get out. She had tried many a time to get it out, and see what was imprinted on it, but she couldn't do that without either tearing the paper or smashing the bottle, neither of which she wanted to do. The third reason to keep it was that right at the bottom of the bottle was a ginger crystal, stuck in the glass. It was this ginger crystal that had was the reason why Catherine kept it. The crystal would have been worth a fortune, but Catherine just couldn't smash the bottle. Any way, she had got used to living with the crystal and bottle together, and she treasured it greatly.

Catherine tidied up all her clothes from the floor and placed them in her wardrobe. She looked up at the bottle and smiled, remembering how she had found it. 

Catherine had long blonde hair, and was quite good looking. She was quite slim, and had lovely blue eyes. All of a sudden in burst her brother Josh.

'Get out of my room!' she told him, but he ignored her. Josh was eleven years old, and very annoying. He also had blonde hair, but his eyes were brown. Josh was not a fat boy, but he was definitely not as slim as his sister. 

'Make me' he replied.

'OK…MUM, Josh wont get out of my room.' Catherine's mother came up the stairs and told them that she didn't want them acting like this tomorrow when they would be all alone. They both promised not too.

The next day came and Vanessa and Carly arrived at 7 o clock. Catherine and Josh's mum left them. She was going to spend the night in a hotel, just so as Catherine could have the house to herself and so hopefully enjoy her birthday. Once their mum had gone, the four people left in the house partied. They ate all the cake, and drank all the cola, and generally had a good time. Catherine allowed her brother to party with them because he had been good that day, and she also secretly knew that Carly liked him quite a lot. Carly had brown hair, she was a bit smaller then Catherine, and her hair was also shorter. Vanessa was even smaller, and slightly larger. She was not fat, but was quite large. But this did not sop her eating and having fun. At 7.30 they sat down and watched a film. 

Once the film had finished they decided to play a game of truth or dare. It was nearly 9 o clock by this time, and it was quite dark outside. Josh needed a bit of persuading to play the game, but he was easily bribed with a packet of crisps. They decided that they would spin a bottle to play. The bottle would be spun, and whoever it landed on would have to choose a truth or dare.

Catherine searched the whole house for a bottle to use, but couldn't find one. All the cola bottles had been thrown away, and her mum wouldn't appreciate them playing with her alcohol bottles. So Catherine used the only bottle she knew. Her special green bottle.

She bought it down stairs, and explained to all the others where she had found it. Then they began to play.

It was decided that because it was Catherine's birthday, she could spin the bottle first. She laid the bottle on the floor and span it round. Josh, Catherine Vanessa and Carly were sat in a circle, as the bottle span round. The bottle landed on Vanessa. As Vanessa was about to say ' Dare' a strange light came out from the bottle and fell upon her. The light was coming from the ginger gem, and was shining brightly on Vanessa. The Light suddenly got larger, and formed a bubble around Vanessa. The light then began to get smaller, and it was Josh who noticed that Vanessa was getting smaller also. The light had trapped Vanessa, and was beginning to shrink her!

Josh immediately tried to pull Vanessa out, but the light suddenly entrapped him also, and he too began to shrink with Vanessa. Carly and Catherine watched with horror. They both wanted to help out but feared that they would begin to shrink too. Vanessa and Josh continued to shrink, and it seemed like they wouldn't stop. They reached half their original height, than a quarter of their original height, and still they were shrinking. Once they reached a centimetre high, they were both sucked into the bottle. The light then disappeared. Catherine grabbed the bottle, and looked inside, but couldn't see them. Carly then screamed. Catherine then looked inside the gem and could see both Vanessa and Josh, staring at her. They were both stuck in there. They couldn't have been more than a millimetre tall. Carly screamed again and said 'We've got to get them out.'

'How?' asked Catherine. 

'Smash the bottle!' said Carly.

'No, that could kill them.' replied Catherine.

Carly then screamed again. Catherine looked inside the gem, and could just about see two tiny specs inside. No bigger than two grains of sand. 

'They're still shrinking.' said Carly. 

Even though Vanessa and Josh were screaming with all their strength, Catherine and Carly could not hear their tiny voices. They could feel their bodies getting smaller and smaller. 

'When will it stop?' asked Josh.

'How do I know?' replied Vanessa. 

Catherine realised that she had to go after them. She placed the bottle on the floor and span it. 

'No, wait' screamed Carly. The bottle landed on Carly and a ginger light emitted out the bottle. Catherine grabbed hold of Carly, and they both began to shrink. Much faster than Josh and Vanessa though!


End file.
